A specification of the plates of the fountainhouse of Acqua a Giulia. Text sheet 1761

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this text sheet, "A specification of the plates of the fountainhouse of Acqua a Giulia", with etching. The text describes technical plates of the fountain house. Piranesi was working in the 18th century, in Rome, a city that was the institutional home of the papacy and a popular destination for wealthy tourists on the Grand Tour. This print is one of many that document Roman antiquities and other architectural wonders, feeding a growing market for views of the city. However, Piranesi here offers something more than just a picturesque view. He highlights the infrastructure of the Acqua Giulia fountain house, bringing attention to the engineering prowess of the city. Prints like this are a reminder that images do not simply reflect reality, but actively shape our understanding of it. To understand the print better, we might research the history of the Grand Tour, or the development of the print market in early modern Europe.